The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-18
MELNM LEAEND.
A tradition Conc~rstng the Discov.
cry OF Florida.
jacksonville News-Herald.


jacksonville Nows-Horald.
Madoe SON of Prince Owen, of
North Wales, having been educated
in a university on the continent Of
Europe, delighted in the study of
nav;gation from the story of the
new discovery Of the existence Of a
wonderful continent across the ocean
70 the west of Europe by the two
brothers Lief and Thorwald Erikson,
called the Morse Navigators," in
A. ID. 1902. This assumption Of
Norway being the first to discover
the American continent was treated
by all historians as idle, but it pre-
vailed extensively in those early
times and is esteemed a historical
fact by that nation to this good day,
And Of late years, by discovery or
upearthiug OF the oracles deposited
by those very pavigators at the time
in Cape Cod, Mass, and other cor
roborating circumstances, the very
able historian, John Clark Redpath,
A. NJ, in his late history OF the
United States, records the discovery
by these navieators as historical
facts, (See his History, page 5l.)
When Madoc returned home he
found his brothers in deadly conten-
ton about the patrimony left by their
deceased father, and being himself
Of a peaceful disposition, determined
to leave and seek an inheritance In
the new discovered land to the west.
So in A. ID. ITO he set sail with his
bold, adventurous countrymen in the
several ships, and after long voyage
TO the southwest, landed at the
mouth OF q beautiful river where
flowers bloomed even in winter, aud
on a most beautiful little island in
closed only by rather large brook.
There he left his countrymcn, TAX
ing back only such sailors as were
needed to man the ship, and on his
return home reported his success,
which created great excitement, so
that q great many wanted TO immi-
crate to the fabulous land OF beauty
and plenty, aud to escape the Saxon
oppression, cruelty and slaughter.
Madoc thereupon bought ten
other ships for the second voyage,
aud we shall offer presumable evil
dence OF the probable truth OF this
national tradition. How could we
account for the tradition il there was
no shadow Of truth in III IL is very
easy for an ignorant aud prejudiced
historian to deny, without inyestisa-
ton, as has been done with the Nor
way legend, but when corroborating
evidence appears il is perllous TO the
reputation OF the doubling historian
TO persist in his obstinacy.
We find trails Of white Indians
even in the Northwest as we'll as il
Chill, South America, and retaining
the very name Of this bold, bu
peace. loving navigator, Madoc. w
know il is written Modoc, but tina
may be the result Of our ignoranc,
or a slight change OF pronunciation
Evidently the name Madoc is not o
Indian, but Of Celtic origin.
The art OF wearing water proofret
blankets these Madoc Indians hav,
retained to this day, as / am livinl
witness; for some years ago bough
= one OF the red blankets woven by tn
Modocs. This manufacture oil sucl
: blankets was carried on extensivel
10 Wales when Madoc left, and con
tinued afterward TO be the chief 81
ticle for sale at all the Welch fairs
enough 10 supply England and tn
I demand on the continent OF Europe
The direct testimony OF two Cher
okee chiefs, taken 10 London iron
their territory 10 Florida aud Geor
gia before the revolutionary war. !
very interesting. They stated tina
long ago there was a white tribe i
their country who had come acros
= the Great Waters from the East, an,
they looked like those who then sur
rounded them, and that their natio
(tho Cherokee,) had been at wa
with them for generations, and fpal
ly drove them northwest 10 tn
mountains. This statement create
= a great sensation at the time In th
D British metropolis.
The best evidence is the story tina
appeared in a Philadelphia paper i
1902 Of q Welshman by the name Q
Griffith, n soldier In the America
army on the frontier west Of th
, Missouri river. Being taken ciptiy
|; by the Indians and marched "a
weeks across the plains TO thei
J home in the valleys Of the Rock
Mountains, and then put on trial be
fore the General Council OF the Ma
= ton, he was sentenced 10 be burne,
Griffith arose in their midst, an,
Notwithstanding the difference
pronunciation from the Mode
L tongue, he said in Welsh:
. 70, Godl have ! escaped 30 man
perils aud come so far TO be at Ia
!. put TO death like a dogl"
= When through speaking tho Chi'
= rushed 10 his embrace, aud asko'
. Whence, brother, didst tho
= Gomez On explanation the Indian
: said they had a tradition that thei
> foreiathers came from across Oh
= Great Waters; and, instead Of Jui
= ting him 10 death, they entertaine
: him with ieasts and music aud dane
! and song, aud after some months {
= sojourning among them they escort
4 ed him back 10 the Missouri rive
u and released him.
. Besides the color being Whit, eve
. Of late some words published in Oh
! newspapers show clearly the origi
). 10 be Of the old Celtic stock. Ais
> their mode Of worshiping the 81
u under great OAK trees, where four
a tains play aud waters flow, and the
y drawing holy FIRE" from heayo
!, with the sun. glass;, on the I'D {
= June, goes 10 connect them with tn
u old Druidical national religion
y, the Gauls and Britobs.
y Prince Owen Guynedd, tho iathC
: Of Madoo, was not a Christian, b.
!, the Chief Bard OF the Druids. Az
this accounts for their adherence
that order Of wroship, and, whatey'
Q, our conclusions may be, IL Is intel